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"Regained "Written By: Artemis Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi lemon, masturbation, angst, violence,
language Pairings: 6x2, 3x4, mention of 13+11, R+1 Summary: Sequel to Interfacing: Lost. GAIA, the
new alliance, fights its first battle in Antarctica; Duo and Zechs
begin to rebuild their relationship "Regained"
Treize Khushrenada glanced over, mildly irritated at being interrupted in his contemplation of the rose garden outside the window. "Yes, what is it?" he inquired lazily. "Sir, I brought this to you immediately," the young man, a Lieutenant Lance duChien, spoke in modulated tones, though he knew this room was devoid of listening devices. "I intercepted it myself, as I was on guard in the main communications center. No one else knows of this, and I did not report it to my superior, as you instructed me." The tall aristocrat rose smoothly from his chair and stood before the man, peering at him intently. Lance was one of about a dozen hand-picked officers who had proven their personal allegiance to Treize, and who were in his confidence about many things. They were eyes and ears for him, and most of their attention was trained on Romefeller at the Foundation's headquarters in Bremen where he had an office as well. "Tell me," Treize murmured, nodding. "Sir," Lance began, his face a little flushed, "It was clearly Inspector Acht. He reported that a Gundam was 'down here', as he put it. Antarctica, I assume." Treize's prodigious mind went to work on the piece of information instantly. "A Gundam, you say... hmmm, could be any one, frankly. Just one?" "Yes, sir." "Hmmm, interesting. So, I'm guessing Acht has met his maker." Lance paled. "Yes, sir, it would seem so. There was nothing after that, only static. It does appear that the Gundam in question got him." "Good, this is excellent," Treize murmured, the corner of his mouth quirking upward. "Now, let's see if our work bears fruit. The weather reports have all been altered?" Now the young soldier grinned. "Oh, yes, sir! There's been a relentless ice storm in the vicinity of the Weddell Sea all week. Even if someone could have gotten through to the old base, they'd have been caught and downed by the storm. No one could survive." "Indeed." Treize straightened. "Inform Duke Dermail that a Gundam was spotted in Antarctica." Shocked, Lance's eyes widened. "Sir??" Treize smirked. "He'll call me, of course, wanting to order troops down there. I will remind him of the weather conditions and say that it would suffice for the remaining fleet to check the perimeter for the Gundam, but that it's highly likely Acht was hallucinating. The reflections of the sunlight off the ice... it's not likely a sole Gundam would be lying in wait for them. Dermail will agree and tell me to carry on." His eyes had fallen closed as he spoke. "I see, sir," Lance murmured, impressed. "And... what of Colonel Zechs?" Abruptly the General was looking at the young lieutenant intently. Was the young snot challenging him? "What of him?" "Right," Lance hastily replied. "Sir, I'll make the call." Before he could move away, Treize stepped up to look directly down in his face. "Lance, you've assured me of your absolute loyalty to my person..." The young man blanched. "Yes, absolutely, Your Excellency, without question!" "Then do not question me about Zechs again. Ever. Never question what Zechs is up to, not if you hold any true regard for me." "Y...Yes, sir!" Lance snapped to full attention. "I hold you in the highest regard, sir, and I will obey!" Treize chuckled. "Good... you see, Lance, the path to peace is simple. One merely has to find God's chosen ones and do everything one can to ease their path, then follow them. It's really quite simple." Thinking entirely that Treize referred to himself as a "chosen one", Lance grinned. "I quite agree, sir!" He saluted smartly then departed to call the Romefeller chairman. //It starts now, old friend,// Treize thought as if speaking to Milliardo as he moved to gaze out the window at the lush garden. //It seems you are indeed the ordained of God now, you and those five beautiful little creatures who have the might of Titans. Yet I am still a power myself, though tarnished, soiled by my own arrogance.// He glanced up toward the sky, a summer's clear blue. //And my lady... where are you today? How soon can we arrange for you to come across one of these bright hearts so that you can be irrevocably changed, too? I want you to be as lucky as I am, Lady. It will be your salvation... and your path home to me.// Trowa Barton made quick work of washing up a little, and changed into a clean turtleneck sweater from the sparse offerings of his bag. He fussed with his hair for a while, then left the room. //I'll just wait here for Quatre,// he thought, not knowing where to go. //I wonder... will we have any time to be together? If Heero wants to leave right away... will I go with him? But Quatre seems all gung-ho about whatever Zechs wants to do down here...// Coming out of his own quarters, Quatre immediately noticed the tall boy leaning against the wall. "Trowa," he said smiling. "It's good to see you again. It's been a long time." "Yeah, you too, Quatre," Trowa murmured, his mouth curving in a minute smile. The smaller boy's heart quickened. He'd learned to recognize these small signs of acceptance from Trowa. To Quatre that faintest of smiles was like a bright ray of sun. "Um... we have a few minutes before we need to meet the others. Would you care to talk in my room?" "Sure, for a minute," Trowa murmured, pushing away from the wall and joining Quatre in his room. Once the door closed, Trowa stared, unsmiling, at the kind, little Arabian who was slowly but surely stealing his heart. "Quatre..." he murmured, then brought his hand up to touch the blond, shaggy bangs. //Heero told me to act on my emotions,// he thought. //Does this mean I can let myself be with Quatre? But we have a war going on.// A sweet surge of joy filled Quatre as Trowa's hand tentatively caressed his hair. "Oh, Trowa," he sighed. "I really missed you." And then he reached his hand out, slowly taking the boy's other hand in his. "I'm glad you're safe." Immediately Trowa remembered Catherine's words to him when he'd been about to self-detonate, foolishing thinking he had to ape Heero's bravery. She'd reminded him harshly about how hurt his loved ones would be, having to go on living without him. //I almost did that to Quatre,// Trowa thought, feeling a twinge. He cupped Quatre's cheek in his hand, looking down into the wide, aquamarine eyes. "I missed you, too... kitten." The sweet endearment was one the boys had come up with after their shy first kiss months ago -"kitten" and "Tiger". "I'm glad you're safe, too." Then, hearing Heero's words in his mind, Trowa leaned down to brush his lips across Quatre's. "Oh..." Quatre sighed into the tender kiss. He leaned in just a little to receive it... return it. //He's always been so cautious... and now this kiss. Something's changed in him... and for the better.// The kiss was naturally brief, and Quatre pulled back slowly to look into emerald eyes. "That was very nice," he said with a smile. "I hope we can find more time to be alone..." "Yeah, that'd be nice," Trowa murmured, giving him a little more of a smile. A few doors down, Zechs was finished cleaning up for the day and had quickly changed his shirt and pants, choosing charcoal gray slacks with short boots, and donned a pale salmon-colored shirt before pulling the maroon pullover back over it again, then the dove gray morning coat. Finishing with a cravat, he decided the ensemble suited him as a new "non-uniform" outfit. After brushing his hair out, he left the room and went to knock on Duo's door. Duo was just putting his black ankle boots back on when he heard the knock. "It's Zechs," he grinned, and then happened to notice the glint of something shiny under the bed. He reached under. "My gun... so that's where it landed." He picked the weapon up, but this time instead of carelessly leaving it out where his lover would see it he stashed it into the nightstand drawer. Then he quickly went over to open the door. "Hi! Sorry it took me a second," he said. //Mmm, very nice,// he thought, quickly taking in Zechs's attire. //Damn, this man has style.// Duo had changed into his usual casuals of blue jeans and a white t-shirt, and now headed over to a chair to retrieve his little black jacket. "I'm hungry. How about you?" he asked as he slipped the jacket on. Zechs looked at Duo peculiarly for about a second, then decided he wasn't flirting this time. "Yes, actually, I'm ravenous. Er, for food," he murmured. "We have a minute, though..." //I'm glad he makes himself right at home, at least,// he noted, observing the casual attire. "Oh, good, then we don't have to hurry," Duo said, walking over to Zechs and taking hold of his hand. "So, what did you think of Mr. Yuy?" he asked, truly interested in this professional soldier's opinion. Pulling on the hand a little to draw Duo closer, Zechs sighed and smiled a little. "He's... intense. Reminds me of myself in some ways, actually. I think that's the connection we seem to have. I get intense like that when fighting. But in the Tallgeese, I have to, just to survive." He shrugged. "You... you have a connection with Heero?" Duo asked a little hesitantly. He felt a brief flash of jealousy, but shook it off. //Don't be silly, Maxwell.// "I didn't think anyone could connect with him," he said with a bit of a forced chuckle. Zechs looked at his lover closely, the white brows drawing together a little. "You don't like him much, do you?" he asked quietly. "And, yes, I seem to have something of a connection, if you want to call it that. All I know is that when I knelt on the plain of Siberia and examined the ruins of the Gundam, I had a strong sense that he was alive. I have no idea what that means." "I like Heero, all right," Duo said, stepping closer and taking Zechs's other hand in his. "I just like teasing him." //His 'connection' to Heero doesn't sound like such a big deal. So he had a hunch Heero was alive...// "And I don't know what to think of him sometimes." //Now kiss me, Zechs.// "Duo..." Zechs sighed and gave him a little smile. "Heero is clearly uncomfortable being here. Your picking on him like that isn't going to help matters. Please... just ease off?" //Hmmm, it's nice to be close to Duo... if only we'd had a little more time this morning to cuddle. I'm getting a bit more used to this, I think...// "Ease off?" Duo asked, chuckling. "But if I don't tease him he'll wonder what's going on." Duo pressed himself against Zechs and then had to look straight up to see his lover's face. "Hold me, please, Zechs. Just for a minute before we have to act all civilized in public again," he said, and rubbed his cheek on the man's chest. //Mmm, this coat is kind of soft.// Zechs sighed again and released Duo's hands, then slowly and tentatively put his arms around his lover's back in order to hold him against his body. "Yes, just for a minute..." //This feels good, something of an anchor before I have to go back out there and be Lightning Count again.// "Duo, please... just remember that Heero's been through a great deal since you've seen him last. I don't think he's healed from... his brush with death. Unless he always holds his left arm stiff like that." //Gee, he's awfully concerned for Heero. But then Zechs is considerate of everyone,// Duo thought, and let his arms wrap around the man's waist. //Damn I love the way he feels next to me.// "Zechs, you don't know Heero like I do," he said and then sighed. "And I mean this in the best possible way... He's not human." "He has to have some humanity... somewhere," Zechs murmured. "Very well, I will trust your judgment, although I truly do not want to alienate either Heero or Trowa if I can help it. This is a very delicate time in our new alliance. Without them, I doubt we have much chance to succeed." He sighed and kissed the top of Duo's head. "Come, love, let's get breakfast, shall we?" "Yeah, I'm starved," Duo said, pulling out of the warm embrace. "And don't worry, Zechs. I understand how important they are to this alliance. If you think it'll help, I'll ease-up on teasing Heero, and leave Quatre to convince Trowa to join us," he said with a smile. "Now let's eat!" Her mission of finding the two Gundam pilots and bringing them to Antarctica complete, Lucrezia Noin indulged herself in a few minutes of relaxation. Lying down on the bed in her quarters, she closed her eyes and began to think about her old friend, Zechs Merquise. //I still can't believe he's broken away from OZ.// She and Zechs had been friends for years. Had been in the academy together, had suffered through all the recent terrible changes in OZ... and through it all she'd loved him. But who wouldn't? The man was a charmer and devastatingly beautiful... even with the mask. //Thank goodness he no longer needs it,// she sighed. But Noin was nothing if not a realist. She knew all too well Zechs's leanings. She'd been privy to his affairs, though he'd never been one to share many details. She suspected that Zechs was involved with someone again now. Her woman's instinct told her so, but also her status as a best friend. And she was more than happy to be just a best friend to Zechs, because she loved him that much, and wanted him to be happy and find the love and acceptance she knew he sought. The ex-OZ lieutenant got up then and changed out of her uniform. She'd brought casual attire just in case, and was actually surprised to see Zechs out of uniform... even though he'd left OZ. She put on a matching navy blazer and pants with a light blue v-neck sweater underneath, and after washing her face, surfaced from her room. Just as she emerged she spotted Zechs coming out of his room... or was it? The young Gundam pilot with the long braid was right behind him. //Zechs, you devil,// she smiled. "Zechs!" she called out, and hurried to join him. "Who's your friend?" she asked with a grin and squeezed his elbow. "Noin," Zechs murmured with a smile. "I'd like you to meet Duo Maxwell, pilot of the Gundam Deathscythe." He turned aside so Duo could face her, a hand very lightly touching the young man in the middle of the back. "Nice to meet you, Duo Maxwell," she said with a bright smile and held out her hand. //So, could this be Zechs's new love interest? He's nothing like the others...// The young man shook the proffered hand. "Glad to meet you, too." "I'm Lucrezia Noin," she said, finishing the greeting and slowly removing her hand. //He's very sweet... and what lovely, large blue eyes.// "I'm Zechs's girlfriend," she added with a laugh. "But I'll bet he didn't tell you about me." Duo looked sidelong at Zechs and then back at the curious young woman. "N... no, he didn't mention that." //What does she mean by *girlfriend*?// "Zechs, do I embarrass you that much?" she asked, looking at her friend, and then patted his arm. Horrified, Zechs gave her a mock glare, then said quickly to Duo, "She delights in embarrassing me, Duo, for of course she is emphatically *not* my girlfriend, as she knows very well indeed I don't ever have *girlfriends*..." He blew out his breath, exasperated, but then managed a smile. "She is a good friend, however, and a valuable ally." //Whew!// Duo thought with much relief. "Sure. I can tell she's a good friend," he said. //Thank God I don't have to deal with her as a past lover... She's quite a spitfire!// "Nice to see I can still ruffle your feathers," Noin snorted. "And you're right, I am your good friend, Zechs... always," she said, and then turned her attention to Duo. "And you must be his new *ally,*" she said with a wink. "How very nice." //Oh, these Gundam pilots are just too cute! They're all so small and... pretty.// "An ally... yes," Duo said with the briefest hesitation and the slightest blush. //I think she knows. But how? Did Zechs tell her about us?// Duo was a bit fascinated by Noin, by her surety in her relationship with Zechs. //I wish I could feel that way with him again,// he thought a bit sadly. "Thanks for bringing the others, Noin," Zechs murmured as he gestured for them to continue down the hallway. "Quatre - and of course Duo - have agreed to ally with me, but I'm not at all sure Heero or Trowa will." He looked warmly at Duo at his side as they walked toward the dining hall. "We've got our work cut out for us here." "Yes, *we* do," Duo said, with emphasis on the "we" for their team effort. He gave Zechs a satisfied grin, happy that he was working with the man as his ally. //Now to mend the rest of our relationship,// he thought as he walked along with Zechs and Noin to the dining room.
Note: Recognize Zechs's attire? I so adore that "look" on him! Hee hee!
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